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Frank McKelvey (1895 - 1974): Artist

Frank McKelvey was born in Belfast. He worked as a poster designer before entering the Belfast School of Art. In 1911-12 he won the Sir Charles Brett Prize for figure drawaing, the Fitzpatrick Prize for figure drawing in 1913-14 and a bronze medal in 1917. He was commissioned by Thomas McGowan to paint pictures of old Belfast, and this collection is in the Ulster Museum. He was a member of the Royal Hibernian Academy, and exhibited in Belfast, Dublin and Derry. He had a one-man show in 1936 where three of his landscapes were purchased as a wedding present for Queen Juliana by Dutch people residing in Ireland. He painted many portraits, amongst them Sir William Whitla, the Duke of Abercorn, first governor of Northern Ireland and Professor Sir William Thomson. He illustrated Margaret Holland's Book My Winter of Content, and his work is represented in many collections, including that of the Ulster Museum.